Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a humanitarian leader, spiritual teacher and an ambassador of peace. His vision of a stress-free, violence-free society has united millions of people the world over through service projects and the courses of The Art of Living Foundation.

Dr. Bhavani Prakash & Prakash Rao, New Jersey, USA

Invocation

Dr. Bhavani Prakash is a practicing physician and a passionate musician. She is not a mere dilettante, but a master of all three of Vocal music, Veena and the Flute, the oldest and long-standing music traditions of India. Hailing from a musical family, Bhavani is an A-grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan, Chennai. She has vocal CD albums and instrumental CD’s to her credit. Bhavani won the All India Radio National Award at the age of 17, the Ambujam Krishnan Award for being adjudged one of the Best Artists at the age of 21 by the Music Academy, Madras, ‘The Best Concert Award’ at 21 years of age from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Madras, and a Life Achievement Award in May 2013. Bhavani has given about 1250 concerts in various parts of India, Singapore , Mauritius, French island Reunion, and the US. Bhavani teaches vocal, veena and flute to aspiring students, and in each, she has students who have become performers. Prakash Rao had his initial training in mridangam from K. Sudarshanaacharyulu, uncle of the Hyderabad Brothers. Since 1982, he has been a student of one of the greatest exponents of Mridangam Sri Vellore Ramabhadran. He has received advanced training also from Sri Umayalapuram Sivaraman and the Late Kanjira V. Nagarajan.

Shekhar Annambhotla, Founder & President, AAPNA

Welcome Speech:

Shekhar Annambhotla Founder & President of AAPNA, USA, is a classically trained Registered Ayurvedic Specialist, licensed integrative massage therapist, registered yoga teacher, certified pranic healer and certified reiki healer, has been practicing and teaching Ayurveda worldwide since 1988. His passion and love for Ayurveda fuels his vision for the development and growth of Ayurveda, including creating and implementing high quality Ayurvedic education and training programs in the west. It is AAPNA’s mission to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of healing arts. With your support and encouragement, Ayurveda will be accepted and integrated as a key complementary science to modern health care.

John Reed, M.D. M.B.A., M.P.H., President, WISE, Maryland, USA

Guest of Honor:

John H. Reed, M.D., MBA, MPH is president of the World Institute for Scientific Exploration (WISE), and a physician practicing in Baltimore, Maryland, specializing in preventive medicine. WISE is an IRS tax exempt, non-profit organization whose primary mission is to conduct and promote groundbreaking scientific research and investigations in countries worldwide on alternative and traditional medicine therapies, such as Ayurvedic Medicine, scientific anomalies, consciousness and parapsychology, ancient science and technology, and unexplained phenomena of all kinds. WISE has over 10 major programs and benefits for its Research Associates. One of WISE’s top priority programs is to identify, digitize, and preserve books, periodicals, archival materials, and collections on the above subjects, and to provide a global platform through the WISE Wiki and the WISE Digital library, whereby such materials can be made freely available to researchers worldwide. WISE provides access to 215 full-text journal titles on the above subjects, several of which focus on Ayurvedic medicine and are available in the Biomedical section of the WISE Digital Library.

Acharya David Frawley, New Mexico, USA

Keynote Presentation on The Interrelationship and Continuity of Veda, Raja Yoga and Ayurveda

Acharya David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) is an unusual western born knowledge-holder in the Vedic tradition. He carries many special Vedic ways of knowledge (vidyas), which he passes on to students. In India, Vamadeva is recognized as a Vedacharya (Vedic teacher), a Vaidya (Ayurvedic doctor and teacher), Jyotishi (Vedic astrologer), Puranic (Vedic historian), a Hindu acharya (Hindu religious teacher), and a Raja Yogi.In India, Vamadeva’s translations and interpretations of the ancient Vedic teachings have been given great acclaim in both spiritual and scholarly circles. In America he is best known as a teacher and practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine and of Vedic astrology (Jyotish) and has done pioneering work on both these subjects, helping produce educational material and establish a number of important organizations and institutions. Vamadeva is director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies that offers training programs in Ayurvedic medicine, Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy, and Vedic astrology that have been taken by more than five thousand people worldwide. He has taught at the main Yoga and Ayurveda centers in the West and at many locations in India, Europe and South America. Currently he is specially aligned with Kerala Ayurveda and with the Chopra Center University.Vamadeva is the author of more than thirty books available in twenty languages worldwide. His notable titles include Yoga and Ayurveda, Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound, Ayurvedic Healing, Ayurvedic Astrology, and Vedantic Meditation. He has also done several scholarly books of translations and interpretations from the Rigveda and studies of ancient history.

Yogini Shambhavi Chopra, New Mexico, USA

Keynote Presentation on Yogic Art of Restorative Healing

Yogini Shambhavi Chopra is one of the most important and dynamic women teachers of the deeper aspects of Yoga coming out of India today. Her teachings are rooted in the ancient traditions of Bhakti Yoga, Shakti Sadhana, Ayurveda, Jyotisha (Vedic Astrology), and Mantra Yoga. She is noted for her clear, direct, and uncompromising expression, and her ability to inspire seekers from every walk of life. She unfolds the bliss of well-being through Vedic Upaya, rituals, mantra and meditation, drawing one to the deeper ‘Yogic Reality’, awakening the universal Shakti power within us. Shambhavi has been honored with the Jyotisha Visharada by CVA for her insightful contributions and teachings in Vedic Astrology. As co-director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies (www.vedanet.com), Santa Fe NM, she joins Pandit Vamadeva Shastri (David Frawley) in his international teaching work in Yoga, Ayurveda, Vedic astrology, and Vedic Studies. Shambhavi offers personal consultations in Vedic astrology internationally, guiding one to connect with the Shakti of the planets, drawing in the divine grace into our lives. She has authored two books on the Mother Goddess -Yogini Unfolding the Goddess Within, Yogic Secrets of the Dark Goddess and two special CDs of chants and mantras-Yogini Bhava Shakti Mantras Invoke the Divine Within and Jyotir Bhava Shakti Mantras for the Nine Planets.

Yogi Amrit Desai, Florida, USA

Keynote Presentation on Yogic Healing

Yogi Amrit Desai Yogi Amrit Desai is recognized as one of the pioneers of the authentic teachings of yoga in the West. He was born in Halol in Gujurat, India in 1932, and in 1947 he met his teacher, Babuji, who had come to Halol to teach. He immediately became a disciple of the master, and has followed his teachings ever since. After studying engineering and then teaching high school in India, the young Amrit Desai arrived in America in February 1960, initially to study art. But his spiritual mission drove him to begin teaching yoga, and that rapidly became his true life’s work. He was one of the earliest of the wave of Indian “gurus” who came to the U.S., and is the last living master from that initial wave. Gurudev has been honored for following in the footsteps of many of the great spiritual Masters such as Paramahansa Yogananda, the renowned author of Autobiography of a Yogi, and Swami Vivekenanda, who founded the World Religious Parliament in India 1893. This prestigious organization has bestowed recognition to only five spiritual teachers who have played significant roles in disseminating the ancient heritage of India worldwide. In 1986 they honored Gurudev with the title Jagadacharya, World Teacher. He has also been recognized with titles including Doctor of Yoga and the Vishwa Yoga Ratna, awarded by the President of India.

Shunya Pratichi Mathur, California, USA

Keynote Presentation on Ayurvedic Psychology

Acharya ‘Shunya’ Pratichi Mathur is an Ayurveda teacher and pioneer in reviving the Gurukula System of Education in Ayurveda and allied Vidyas of Yoga and Vedanta through Vedika Global, Inc., a non-profit foundation promoting Ayurvedic education, charitable clinics and community offerings. Acharya Shunya gained her knowledge of classical Ayurveda from over 14 years of rigorous training in a classical Gurukulam in the holy city of Ayodhya, India. Today, Acharya Shunya is an internationally known authority in the field of classical Ayurveda and the living tradition of Gurukula education. A well-known healer and master teacher, Acharya Shunya is co-chair to the International Delegates Assembly of the World Ayurveda Foundation and President of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. She received the Nalanda Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Education in USA and the Mother Padmavati International Ayurveda Award by the Indian Institute of Medicine in 2010. Her work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and Yoga Journal, along with other national and international publications.

Acharya Shunya Pratichi Mathur is the living custodian of her Vedic lineage. Her command over the Vedic sciences stems from 14 years of Gurukulam education in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, and direct mentoring under her teacher, Baba Ayodhyanath Sinha ji. Acharya Shunya has nearly 20 years of experience facilitating Vedic education, including the last seven years heading Vedika Gurukulam in California. At Vedika, Ayurveda is taught in its classically pure form along with a full-fledged Vedic Studies Program, including instruction in Sanskrit, Veda and Upanishads. Shunya’s teachings support life-altering shifts in individual and group consciousness and they are an invitation to live a spiritually awakened life by applying the principles, philosophy, psychology, scientific theory, and spiritual practices of the Vedas. In this keynote address, Acharya Shunya explores the ancient science of Ayurvedic Psychology – its core philosophy, principles and practices. Ayurveda Psychology refers to an approach to psychology based upon Vedic epistemology and ontology, developed over thousands of years in the Indian subcontinent by the Vedic Rishis. The intellectual tradition of Ayurveda Psychology starts from radically different assumption of reality than western psychology. Ontologically, the most fundamental reality in all Vedic sciences (including Ayurveda) is not matter-based body or mind, but spirit. In other words, the Ayurvedic tradition of mental health focuses upon non-material phenomena of consciousness as a core element of reality. In fact, Ayurveda tradition regards ‘knowledge of the self’ (adhyātma-vidyā) as the fundamental science that must be pursued and practiced for sound mental health. Thus, Ayurveda Psychology supports mental health by the subtle transformation of the inner personality and elevation of spiritual consciousness. While diseases can be cured, managed or prevented by rational medical intervention, greater dimensions of health can be achieved only through the self-awakening that occurs in the psyche. Acharya Shunya therefore emphasizes a process of self-education that enables an inner awakening. This can be achieved only by studying one’s own subtle nature with the aid of specialized knowledge contained in the Ayurveda and allied Veda Shastra; then utilizing this knowledge to discover a non – phenomenal absolute Self; and finally bringing all aspects of our life under its influence. Ayurveda Psychology does not stop with teaching how to be happy and calm in day-to-day life. It directs everyone to overcome all mental delusions (Moha) that are obstacles in the path of aligning with this highest state of consciousness (moksha). The ending of psychological bondage (due to ignorance of self) and attainment of freedom from our mind due to recognition of the self is considered the highest purushartha and also paramadharma – and Ayurveda Psychology teaches the path to this lofty goal, no less. Thus, Ayurveda Psychology is not only the art and science of sound mental health, but also of self-recovery. It facilitates a profound and complete self-discovery – the discovery of the divine within. Ayurveda Psychology thus emphasizes a process of transformative education that leads to a psycho-spiritual renovation. In terms of application, Ayurveda Psychology aims primarily at the mastery and transformation of oneself.

Vivek Shanbhag, California, USA

Keynote Presentation on Ayurveda & Yoga User’s Manual

Vivek Shanbhag, BAMS, MD-Ayurveda, ND, California, USA is a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor, Ayurvedic Practitioner, professor & author. He is the Founder & Director of Natural Medicine Clinic, Academy & Wellness Spa with 3 Bay Area locations in San Jose, Mountain View & Los Gatos. He specializes in treatment of all acute & chronic diseases by integrating Ayurveda, Naturopathic Medicine & Yoga. He is an adjunct faculty member of Bastyr University in Seattle, MMI College of Ayurveda in Watsonville and Vedika Global in Emeryville. He is a member of the Board of Directors of California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. He serves on the Advisory Boards of Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America, Light on Ayurveda Journal and Japan Ayurveda Association. He is the best-seller author of “Beginner’s Introduction to Ayurveda” by Keats Publishing. For more than 30 years, he successfully ran various Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy institutions in USA, Japan & India. During 2002-2009, he served on the Board of Directors of National Ayurvedic Medical Association. During 1985-88 he was the Head of the Ayurvedic Research Institute, Pune. In 1988, Dr. Shanbhag was awarded the prestigious I.I.M. Gold Medal for his MD-Ayurveda Research Thesis. In 2008, International Academy of Ayurveda Physicians honored him with the Vishwa Ayurveda Ratna Award. In 2010, he won the Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Teaching by the Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America. In 2013, he won the Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Practice by the Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America. He is a sought after speaker and has delivered keynote addresses at more than 200 professional conferences worldwide.

The complimentary sciences of ayurveda and yoga together help us balance our inner energies and create optimum wellness of our body, mind and spirit. They consider each of us as a unique individual with a unique mind-body type (Prakruti) which is determined during conception. They assist us in creating a comprehensive wellness plan personalized for our unique physiology and our specific health conditions or imbalances (Vikruti). They help us in improving health, restoring balance, promoting healing and longevity. Ayurveda & yoga help us in improving both quality and quantity of life by adding life to years and years to life. To achieve this, Ayurveda uses natural and personalized nutrition, culinary herbs, daily and seasonal health routines, and cleansing and rejuvenating therapies, including aroma, music and massage therapy, etc. Yoga improves quality and quantity of life by using the eight steps of Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahar, Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi. The most important Ayurvedic approaches for improving both quality and quantity of life are Dinacharya, which is daily health routine and Ritucharya, which is seasonal health routine. Dinacharya includes detailed guidelines regarding the time to go to bed, time to wake up, morning ablutions, oral hygiene, care of eyes-ears-nose-throat, care of skin-hair-nails, exercise & stretches, breathing, focusing and relaxation techniques, time and ingredients of meals, etc. Ritucharya helps to maintain year-round health by adapting to seasonal changes. When a season changes, our metabolism changes, and the needs of our bodies and minds change. Ritucharya helps us to balance the seasonal changes through natural cleansing and adjusting our diet and lifestyle to maintain optimum health. Yoga teaches us to discipline our personal and social behavior, our posture, our breath, our senses, our focus and our purpose of life. Both ayurveda & yoga work for health and life just like the user’s manuals and maintenance schedules work for machines. Ayurveda & yoga enable us to stay healthy & happy and to avoid imbalances and sorrows. Ayurveda & yoga are the keys to longevity. This presentation will focus on how to follow ayurveda & yoga in modern times. Attention will be paid to making ayurveda & yoga easy to understand, follow and practice. This lecture is beneficial in helping holistic health professionals in their own self-care/wellness regimens.

Suhas Kshirsagar, California, USA

Keynote Presentation on Ayurveda & Yoga for Blissful Mind

Suhas Kshirsagar, BAMS, MD-Ayurved, California, USA is an internationally recognized leader in the ancient science of Ayurvedic Medicine, which emphasizes a comprehensive, whole-body approach to health. He is an accomplished Ayurvedic specialists, who has traveled worldwide popularizing Ayurveda, setting up clinics, training health professionals and has provided Ayurvedic consultations for thousands of his clients. In addition to his active practice at his clinic in Santa Cruz, California, Suhas travels extensively around the world teaching Ayurveda, designing courses and curriculum, consulting with high-profile health and wellness corporations, and sharing the stage with other pioneering figures such as Drs. Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins and Wayne Dyer. He is one of the few Ayurvedic practitioners in the USA who practices Medical Astrology. Suhas is a keynote speaker and faculty member at several Ayurvedic institutions worldwide.

The core of Ayurvedic Healing is to offer complete Mind-Body healing. Emotional counseling, uplifting words, inner wisdom, developing greater mental resilience, and striving to become a better human being is the very basis of Sattvavajaya and Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa. Yoga, ayurveda and vedantic wisdom can be effectively used to develop the most important skills to cope with the challenges of human life. We need to understand the strength of these ancient Vedic concepts in the light of modern scientific research. This lecture is beneficial in helping holistic health professionals in their own self-care/wellness regimens.

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